Protecting road-beds of railways



(N0 Model.)

Patented July 29, 1890.

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\m Vim R94 MMWW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDlVIN BELL, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

PROTECTING ROAD-BEDS OF RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 432,969, dated July 29,1890.

Application filed May 13, 1890. Serial No. 351,705. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN BELL, a citizen of the United States, residingat St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Protecting the Road-Bedsof Railways, of which the following is a specification.

Great damage frequently results to the roadbeds of railways from theaction of water during heavy rains or melting snow, and to protect theroad-beds from such damage is the object of my invention, which consistsof mats or brush-wood embedded beneath the ends of the ties to formbarriers to prevent the water from undermining the road-bed, ashereinafter shown and described, and specifically pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a railway-trackand a portion of the land on each side with my improvement arranged inconnection therewith. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is aperspective View of one of the brush-mats detached. Fig. 4 represents adetail similar to Fig. 1, illustratin g a slight modification in theadaptation of the invention.

A A represent the rails, B the ties, and D the road-bed, of arailway-track of the ordinary construction. The mats, as beforementioned, are constructed of pieces of brushwood of any kind, but willpreferably be of willow, which withstands the action of the water andresists decay better than most wood, besides being generally easilyobtainable and of the proper size.

For convenience of handling the mats are generally constructed asfollows: Two strips a (t are laid upon the ground convenient to theplace where a plentiful supply of brush of the proper size can beobtained, and a series of staples driven into them about four feetapart, or holes formed through them at the same distances apart, ifpreferred. Through these staples or holes the bin ding-wires are to bepassed and running up through the mass of the brush, which is laidacross the strips and pressed solidly together either by levers or byother suitable means.

The mats will generally be constructed aboutsixteen inches thick, threeor four feet wide, (the width being the lengths of the pieces of brush,)and from twelve to twenty feet long.

After the mats are as thick as required, additional strips of a will beplaced along the top outer edges and bound fast by the hinding-wire,thus forming a compact mass that can be readily transported to anyrequired distance.

In applying my invention the earth is excavated from beneath the ends ofthe ties B to a depth of about sixteen inches, more or less, accordingto the nature of the soil, and the brush-mats laid in these excavationswith the upper binding-strips a at beneath and in contact with the outerends of the ties, as shown, and the earth tamped closely against theirends. A layer of earth is then placed over the mats to protect them fromfire, and in locations where a very heavy overflow of water is liable tooccur ballast of stones or sandbags may be laid upon the outer ends ofthe mats to prevent them being washed out, the inner ends being helddown by the ties. Diagonal filling-pieces E will be fastened be tweenthe ties B above the strips a to prevent the water washing in beneaththe rails and undermining the ties.

The size of the brush-wood mats may be varied to suit the conditions orthe location of the road-bed. These mats will be required only inlocations where there is danger from freshets or overflows from whatevercause.

If required, hydraulic cement may be run in around the sections ofboards E as a packing, to prevent the passage of the water. The diagonalfilling-strips E also perform an important function in strengthening therails and preventing them from spreading, as they bear against the outeredges of the rails and resist any pressure which may be exerted againstthe rails from their inside edges.

In locations where the railway runs upon the surface of the rock, incanons, rock-cuts, &c., and where the ballast is the only loose portionof the road-bed, the brush-wood mats or filling may not be of sufiicientdepth to bear the weight of the ties, track, and the trains. Under suchconditions a supportingtimber F may be inserted beneath the ties (seeFig. 4) inside the brush-wood mats to carry a portion of the load.

The water in flowing over the road-bed will deposit within theinterstices of the brushwood forming the mats, sand and'other sediment,which soon fills them, and thereafter water flowing over them will notaffect them in any manner, but on the contrary every increase of theoverflow more firmly fixes them in position by depositing the sedimentmore closely within the mats. The sand deposit also preserves thebrush-wood from decay, so that when properly laid they last for manyyears without renewal.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. Aprotection for the road-beds of railways from the action of water,consisting of brush-wood embedded partially beneath the ends of theties, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A protection for the road-beds of railways, consisting of mats formedof brushwood and embedded partially beneath the ends of the ties,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the road-beds of railways, of mats ofbrush-wood embedded beneath the ends of the ties to form protectors forthe road-beds against the action of water, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

4. In a protector for the road-beds of railways, mats of brush-Woodformed with bind ingstrips a a co a along their edges, and adapted to beembedded with their ends beneath the ends of the ties, and water-guardsE, inserted between the ties and above said mats, substantially as andfor the purpose'set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

EDYVIN BELL.

WVitnesses:

C. N. WooDwARD, II. S. WEBSTER. v

